Sorter stacker for cut sheet film



June 1957 I e. s. RUGG 2,794,637

SORTER STACKER FOR SHEET FILM Filed Jan. 11, 1es4 s She ets-Shaet 1 Fig.1

60mm .9 was INVENTOR.

& I BY 5 ATTORNEYS- June 4, 1957 e. s. RUGG SORTER STACKER FOR cu? SHEET FILM Filed Jan. 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 hues IN V EN TOR.

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Q, 0 BY v a f ATTORNEYS June 4, 1957 G. s. RUGG 2,794,637

SORTER STACKER FOR CUT SHEET FILM Filed Jan. 11, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet s Fig. 5

GORDON 5. RUGG INVENTQR.

/ ATTORNEYS United States Patent f SORTER STACKER FOR CUT SHEET FILM Gordon S. Rngg, Rochester, N. Y., assign-2r to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application Eanuary 11, 1954, Serial No. 403,406 15 Claims. (Cl. 271-51) ing upon the characteristics of the cut sheet, and finally deposited in a proper container or receptacle.

The function of the sorter stacker of the present invention is to sever individual 4" x 5" sheets of film and inter-leaving paper from separate film and paper webs, separately feeding assemblies or combinations of a sheet of film and a sheet of interleaving paper to a delivery or transporting mechanism, and to distribute the assemblies successively into one of three separate stacks, i. e. acceptable sheet stack, test sheet stack and reject sheet stack. At the acceptable sheet stack, the film and paper combinations or assemblies are counted in packs of individual packs, each pack being separated by a pair of cardboard spacers ejected onto each pack while the latter is held in an intermediate position above the acceptable sheet magazine or receptacle.

The present invention has at its principal object the provision of a new and improved sorter stacker mechamsm.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for separating the film and paper assemblies while being transported to the various stacks.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a novel arrangement for stripping the film and sheet combinations from the transporting mechanism.

To these and other ends, the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general end view of the entire machine, with a side plate removed and parts cut away, showing the general relation of the conveyer mechanism and its associated parts;

Fig. 2 is a partial view of one of the sheet gripper devices, showing the arrangement for maintaining uniform pressure across the jaw surface;

Fig. 3 is a side view of a portion of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1, but on a larger scale than the latter, showing the relation of the sheet stripper to the sheet gripping device; Fig. 4 is a side view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1, showing the sheet supporting mechanism or wheels at the acceptable sheet magazine;

Fig. 5 is a partial view of the mechanism, with parts in section, showing the device for imparting periodic movement to the sheet supporting wheel illustrated in Fig. 4 and taken substantially on line 5-5' of Fig.6;

Fig. 6 is a front view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 5 with the supporting wall removed;

,Fig. 7 is a partial view of the sheet supporting wheel ,7 2,794,637 Patented June 4, 1957 ice . 2 drive mechanism, showing the parts in disengaged position; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, but with the parts in engaged relation.

Similar reference numerals throughout the various views indicate the same parts.

Referring to Fig. 1, it is seen that the paper web 11 is conducted horizontally to the top of a vacuum roller 12 while the film web 13 approaches roll 12 at an angle of 30 of the vertical. Both the film and paper webs are 5" in width. Just ahead of the roll 12, a pair of rotating knives or cutters 14 sever the paper web into sheet-s substantially 4" long. Also, the film web 13 is severed into sheets 4" long by means of a severing mechanism broadly indicated by the numeral 15. As the film and paper severing means form no part of the present invention, details thereof are not shown or de: scribed. The chopping or severing means 14 and 15 move at web speeds so that the severed sheets approach the vacuum roll 12 continuously. Also, the vacuum roll 12 runs exactly at the speed of the film so that there is no space between adjacent film sheets. Preferably, the paper sheets are cut slightly shorter than the film sheets and approach the vacuum roll 12 at a slightly lower speed than the film sheets, slipping on the roll 12 for a short period until the sheet is completely severed from the web 11 by chopper 14, at which time the paper sheet starts traveling at the speed of the roller 12, leaving a small gap between successive paper sheets on the roll 12. The choppers 14 and 15 are so timed that the leading edges 16 of both film and paper sheets, see Fig. 1, are in alignment. Also, as shown in Fig. 1, the severed film and paper sheets are in overlying relation and provide an assembly or combination, generally indicated by the numeral 17.

The vacuum roll 12 is divided radially into separate compartments, not shown, and is suitably evacuated so that only the portion from the bottom point 18 on the vertical center line 19 to the point 20 of the film tangency is under vacuum. At the point 20 of the film tangency, a spring mounted driven pressure roll 21 holds each film and paper sheet assembly 17, giving sufiicient traction to the film sheet so that the combination 17 can be pushed through guides 22 and 23 and be received by the grippers, broadly indicated by the numeral 24, to be later more fully described. The two guides 22 and 23 are actually stripping fingers which fit in peripheral grooves, not shown, in the vacuum roll 12 and are used to prevent the paper sheets from following the surface of the vacuum roll 12 after the point of vacuum cut 011, point 18. The guides 22 and 23 are mounted on the side plates 25 and 26 and have a radius of curvature less than the minimum natural curvature of the film sheet. These guides 22 and 23 carry the film and paper sheet combinations 17 in a curved path leading to the path of the grippers 24, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

Mounted on a wheel or hub 30 are a plurality of, in the present instance twelve, peripherally spaced gripper assemblies 24 each of which is adapted to receive one film and paper sheet combination 17 at the top of the wheel 30, and to discharge the combination into a suit- I able receptacle or magazine positioned at the bottom of the wheel, as shown in Fig. 1, and later more fully described. Each gripper assembly 24 operates independently, and is provided with a radially inward extending rod or stem 31 which is connected to the wheel 30 by a coil spring 32, which tends to move the assembly 24 inward radially or toward the periphery 33 of the wheel 30, as is deemed apparent from an inspection of Fig. 1. The gripping action of each gripper 24 is obtained by means of a movable jaw 34 pivoted at 35 on the assembly. The movable jaw is held in a normally closed position by means of a coil spring, 35*, wrapped around the pivot 35, see Fig. l. The movable jaw 34 is connected to a cam follower 36 carried on the free end of an arm 37 mounted on pivot 35. Each film and paper combination is gripped by closing the movable jaw 34 against the gripper body 38. 'In order to eliminate pressure marking of the film and exert uniform pressure across the width of the gripper, the gripper portion or jaw 34' is connected to the lower portion 34 by means of a thin flat spring 34 to provide a resilient self-aligning connection, as best shown in Fig. 2. The jaw 34 is normally in closed position and in engagement with body 38-.

The wheel 30 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, by suitable drive means, shaft 30 As each gripper assembly 24 approaches the top; of the wheel30, the follower 36 engages a fixed. cam 39'which serves to impart a clockwise movement to pivot 35 to move the jaw 34 away from the body 38, so that as the assembly 24 reaches the top of the wheel 30; and below the vacuum roller 12, the gripper assembly will be in open or operative position to receive a film and paper sheet assembly 17. The cam 39 extends to the right of the vacuum roller 12, as shown in Fig. 1, to engage the follower 36 to maintain the gripper in open position, at which time a film and paper assembly is being'fed by vacuum roller 12. However, just before the trailing ends of the filmand paper assembly 17 passes point 18 and the assembly is discharged from the vacuum roller 12, the follower 36 rides off the right end 40 of the cam 39 to free follower 36 and hence jaw 34. The spring 35 around the pivot 35 then serves to rock the jaw 34 counterclockwise to move the jaw into cooperating relation with the gripper body 38 to secure the film and paper assembly 17 to the wheel 30, as is deemed apparent.

The .gripper body 38 is equipped with two cam followers, one, 42, which rides on the fixed cam 43 and the other, 41,. which rides on the solenoid operating earns 44 and 45, see Figs. 1 and 4. The fixed cam 43 is mounted on the right hand side plate 26, Fig. 4, and determines the radial position of the jaw gripper 24. As each gripper is at the top of the wheel 30 and passes beneath the vacuum roll 12, the cam 43 holds the gripper assembly 24 at such a radius that its surface lineal speed is exactly the same as the speed of the film and paper assembly 17 being gripped. As each gripper 24 is rotated clockwise with wheel 39, the gripper is gradually and progressively moved outwardly or radially by means of cam follower 42 riding on' cam 43 until the gripper is at an increased radius such that there is approximately 4" separation between successive sheet combinations 17 being gripped by adjacent grippers, as shown at 46, Fig. 1. As mentioned above, as each. gripper 24 approaches its top position, the camfollower 36 engages cam 39 and the movable jaw'34 is gradually rocked and opened so that the nose of'the jaw 34 is slightly beyond the vertical center line of the gripper, as shown in Fig. 1. As the leading edge 47 of the gripper 24 passes the vertical center line 48 of the wheel 30, the leading edges 16 of the film and paper combination are discharged from the guides 22 and 23, meeting edge 47 of the gripper 24 and traveling at the same speed while the movable jaw 34 is gradually lowered by the cam 39. The jaw 34 is fully closed just before the trailing edge of the film and paper assembly is released from the vacuum roll 12 and the pressure roll 21.

As each gripper is rotating, the trailing edge 49 of each combination 17 is retained in a curved path by means of the fixed edge guides 50 and 51, see Fig. 4, which are fastened to side plates 25 and 26. At the bottom of the wheel'30 are positioned (1) a receptacle or container 52 adapted. to receive acceptable sheet and film combina; tions, and known as the acceptable sheet stack, (2) a receptacle 53 to receive the test sheets and known as the test sheet stack, and (3) a receptacle 54- for receiving defective or rejected combinations and known as the reject sheet stack. If as is normally the case, a film and paper assembly 17 is to be discharged into the accep table sheet stack 52, a normally engaged cam 44 is held by springs, not shown, in the path of the approaching gripper cam follower 41, as shown in Figs; 3 and 4. As the specific means for holding cam 44 in the path of the follower 41 may be varied, and forms no part, per se, of the present invention, details thereof are not deemed necessary. This cam 44 is mounted on the side plate 25 on the opposite side of the device from the cam 43, see Fig. 4. This cam 44 may be retracted or movedout of the path of the follower 41 by any suitable means such, for example, as a solenoid 56. The latter may be actuated by any suitable electric or electronic circuit or control means which form no part of the present invention. Sutfice to say that when the solenoid 56 is deenergized, the cam 44 is moved by its springs into the path of the follower 41, but, when the solenoid 56 is energized, the cam is withdrawn or retracted out of the path of the follower 41. .As the follower 41 moves onto the cam 44, the associated gripper 24 is moved radially outward an additional so that the sheet. and film assembly carried by the gripper rides on the under side of edge guides 57 positioned above the acceptable sheet container 52, as shown in Figs. 1' and 3. Just before the leading edge 16 of the assembly 17 reaches the stripper 58 on the left side of the receptacle 52, the cam follower 36 strikes the top side of a fixed cam 59 to rock the pivot 35 slightly, to move the movable jaw 34 away. from the body 38 to open the gripper so that the assembly 17 may be stripped by means of. the stripper 58. Just prior to the time of stripping, the trailing edge 49 of combination 17 snaps olf the edge guides 50 and 51; and, as the stripping occurs, the combination falls on top of the previously assembled sheets in a stack 63 held in the initial or upper position, Fig. 1. The stripper 53 also forms one side of the acceptable sheet compartment or container 52, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l.

As the film and paper assemblies 17 are discharged from the gripper 24, they are stacked in packs resting in position 60 and supporting on the ends 61 of the arms 62 of the stacker Wheels 63, as best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. At the count of 25 acceptable sheet and paper assemblies, the pair of stacker wheels 63 is indexed, as will be later described, of a revolution, dropping the newly formed paclcof. the 25 assemblies from the upper position 69 to an intermediate position 64, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Simultaneously therewith, the pack of 25 assemblies which has'p'reviously been held in position 64 is dropped off arm 62 into the acceptable container 52, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Thus, there are three positions for the acceptable sheets; the upper position 60 where the assemblies are deposited until 25 such assemblies have been delivered; the intermediate position 64, and the lower position in the receptacle 52. While the next stack is being assembled in the upper position 60, the assembly stacked at the intermediate position 64 has appliedtothe top thereof, two cardboard spacer sheets 65. By means of this arrangement, each stack in receptacle 52 is spaced by means of a pair of cardboards, one cardboard being used at the bottom of each stack and one at the top, as is deemed apparent.

' The cardboardspacers 65 may be supplied by any suitable mechanism. For example, the cardboard sheets 65 may be positioned in a magazine or container 66 the bottom 67 of whichis slightly above the top of the stack in the intermediate position 64-, as shown in Fig. 1. The left side wall 68' of the container 66 is formed with a slot 6Q of such size as to permit the passage therethrough of a pair of cardboard spacers 65, while the right wall 70 is provided with a slot 71 through which an injector blade 72 may pass to inject a pair of spacers 65 from the container 66. The arrangement isrsuch that when the injector blade 72 is moved. tov the left, two cardboard spacers 65 savages? will be injected through slot 69 into the nip of four constantly rotating injecting rollers 73, which, in turn, catapult the two cardboard spacers 65 onto the top of the pack held at position 64. Any suitable means may be employed for reciprocating the injector blade 72. For example, the plate 72 may be mounted on the injector unit 74 which is reciprocated by a rotary solenoid, not shown, operating a pinion 75 and a rack 76, the latter being attached to unit 74.

It is desirable occasionally to deliver an assembly 17 for test or analysis. Such assembly may be selected from the packs in compartment 52; but, in order not to interfere with the correct counting of the various packs, the test assembly preferably is delivered to a test sheet compartment or receptacle 53 positioned beyond or to the left of the acceptable sheet stack 52, as illustrated in Fig. 1. These test assemblies may be delivered at random, but preferably at definite timed intervals. Thus, every 300th assembly may by-pass compartment 52, and be deposited in the test compartment 53. As the means for selecting the test assembly may be varied, and forms no part of the present invention, details thereof are not shown or illustrated. Sufiice to say, every 300th film and paper assembly is deposited in the test sheet compartment 53. Of course, the by-passing of the compartment 52 does not interfere with the true count of 25 assemblies in each stack in the acceptable sheet compartment.

In case the film and paper assembly is to be deposited in test compartment 53, the normally engaged cam 44 is retracted by energizing solenoid 56 to shift cam 44 out of the path of the cam follower 41. The gripper 24 which holds the assembly now passes the acceptable sheet compartment 52 as it continues to rotate on the radius determined by the cam follower 41 on the fixed cam 43. At this radius, assembly 17 rides on the top of the edge guides 57 instead of on the under side thereof, as was the case when the combination was discharged in compartment 52. As the gripper containing the test sheet assembly approaches the test sheet compartment 53, a normally retracted cam 45 is pushed outward radially against the action of springs, not shown, by means of a solenoid 78 into the path of the cam follower 41. This causes the gripper 24 to move radially outward as the cam follower 41 moves against cam 45, as is deemed apparent from an inspection of Fig. 1, carrying the combination on the under side of the edge guides 79 similar to guides 57. As the leading edge 16 of the assembly 17 approaches stripper 81, the cam follower 36 strikes the jaw cam 82 thereby slightly opening the gripper 24 so that the assembly 17 can be discharged from the gripper when it strikes the stripper 81. The released film and paper assembly then falls by gravity into a small tray or container which forms the bottom of the test compartment 53. This tray can be removed at the end of the run or at any other desired time.

The machine is provided with a device for scanning the successive film and sheet paper assemblies 17 to determine the presence of any defects therein. Such a scanning device forms no part of the present invention; and, there fore, it is not shown or described. If a defective sheet is encountered, it is deposited in the reject container 54 positioned to the left of the test sheet container 53, Fig. 1. In the case of a reject assembly, it is only necessary to retract the normally engaged cam 44 to permit the gripper 24 to continue on the radius determined by the cam 43. The combination 17 then rides on the top of both edge guides 57 and 79. As the gripper passes the acceptable sheet stack and the test stack compartments, 52 and 53, respectively, and on the under side of the edge guides 83, it is not necessary to move the gripper 24 outward at the reject sheet stack 54 since any assembly 17 held in the gripper passing the first two compartments, must, of necessity, be discharged in the reject compartment 54. The stripping action at this point is the same as on previous occasions with the jaw cam following 36 striking the fixed jaw cam 84. The rejected assemblies 17 are stacked on two arms of stacker wheels which are identical with stacker wheels 63, above described. However, there is no intermediate stack position at the reject compartment 54, as was the case at the acceptable compartment 52. This is because there are no cardboard separatorsv injectedinto compartment 54, and the combinations 17 are held during the stacking only to form a pack of sufficient weight to fall properly into compartment 54 upon indexing with the stacker wheels.

As the principle of operation of the stacker wheels 63 both at the acceptable sheet stack and the reject sheet stack is identical, only one will be described in detail. Since the indexing must take place in the short portion of one single sheet cycle, and must occur-at the proper time between the last sheet of the one pack and the first sheet of the following pack, it is practically essential to connect the indexing device positively to the machine drive, and trigger the indexing operation in advance in such a manner that the major part of the cycle would be available for the triggering.

As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, each stacker wheel 63 is mounted on one end of a shaft 90, the other end of which carries a miter gear 91 which meshes with a miter gear 92 mounted on the shaft 93. The latter also has slidably mounted thereon a 5-point Geneva wheel 94 which can be shifted axially on shaft 93 by means of a pivoted lever 95 which is connected at one end at 96 to a sleeve 97 carried by or formed integral with the Geneva wheel 94. The lever 95 is pivoted intermediate its ends at 98' and the other end has connected thereto at 99 one end of a rod 100, the other end of which is connected to a solenoid 101. .A coil spring 102 has one end 103 anchored to the mechanism. frame and the other end 104 connected to lever 95 below pivot 98. The spring 102 tends to rock lever 95 in a clockwise direction about pivot 98 as viewed in Fig. 5 to shift the Geneva wheel 94 to'the right along shaft 93. In this position the Geneva wheel 94 is in its disengaged position, as illustrated in Fig. 7. While in its disengaged position the Geneva wheel 94 is locked against rotation by means of a disc 105 engaging one of the arcuate portions 106 of the Geneva wheel, as illustrated in Fig. 7. The disc 105 is connected to a driven roller 107 carried on the end of a radial arm 108. A locking disc or portion 109 is positioned between the arm 108 and disc 105 and is provided with a cutaway portion 110 in radial alignment with the roller 107, the purpose of which will be later described.

The .drive of the Geneva wheel is so designed that it is rotated continuously at a rate of one revolution for each film and paper assembly. The disc 105 has the same radius as the locking portion 109 so that when the drive arm 108 and roller 107 are not in position, Fig. 7, for driving the wheel 94, the latter is free to be moved axially to the left by means of solenoid 101. The wheel 94 is then ready for engagement with the roller 107 at a predetermined point in the cycle, see Fig. 8. The disc 105, arm 108 and locking portion 109 constitute a single unitary structure, which is carried by and connected to one end of a drive shaft 111, the other end of which has mounted thereon a pulley 112 connected by belt 113 to the main machine drive. By means of this arrangement, the roller 107 is driven continuously and in proper timed sequence with the wheel 30 and the associated parts.

Since a 5-point Geneva drive is in a dwell for over /3 of its revolution, there is available this much time for axial operation of the Geneva wheel 94 by solenoid 101. The solenoid 101 is actuated by suitable control mechanisms which form no part of the present invention; and for this reason such mechanism is not shown or described. As soon as roller 107 engages one of the slots 114 and the wheel 94 starts to rotate, the solenoid 101 can be deenergized. However, at this time the cut-away portion 110 of disc 109 now registers with the slotted portion 114 of wheel 94. The result is that the left face 11-5 of disc 105 in the area or the cut cmt 110 of disc 7 I09 lies against anadja'c'ejnt face 116 of wheel 94 to prevent the latter from being shifted to the right by spring 102 and out of driven relation with roller 107, as is deemed apparent. However, when the indexin of wheel 94 has be'en'com'pleted, the cut-away portion 110'of 199 will move out of're'gi'stry with portion 114 of 'wheel' 94 and the section 106' of the latter will be. brought into registry with disc 105. The spring 102 is now able to shift wheel 94 axially to the right along shaft 93 to shift the wheel out of alignment with roller 1437 which now rotates freely but without driving wheel 94. Since the spring 102 forces the return of the wheel 94 as soon as indexing is' complete, it is not ne'cessary to time the deenergizing of solenoid I01 accurately. Thus, the indexing of wheel 94' and the movement of stacker wheels 63 are in proner timed relation to the rotation of the wheel 30 'and the release of the sheet and film assembly 17 therefrom.

Thus, the present invention provides a mechanism for picking up assemblies of film and paper sheets, transporting these sheet assemblies, and depositing the assembly in a selected receptacle or point of disposal.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive idea may be carried out in a number of ways. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited except as necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A sheetsorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means for supplying sheets successively and in substantial abutting relation to said cylinder, a plurality of gripper assemblies spaced circumferentially around said cylinder, meansfor mount ing said gri pers on said cylinder for radial movement thereon said grippers adapted to engage said sheets successively to move said sheets with said cylinder to a point of disposal, a circular stationary cam member associated with said cylinder, a cam follower on each gripper assembly, spring means to hold each follower in positive contact with said cam, the rotation of said cylinder causing said followers to ride on said cam to move each gripper progressively radially of'said cylinder to increase the spacing between the sheets carried by adjacent grippers, and separate means to impart an additional radial movement to each gripper at said point of disposal to actuate each gripper to release the sheet carried thereby.

2. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means for supplying sheets successively and in substantial abutting relation to said cylinder, a plurality of "ripper assemblies spaced circumferentially around said cylinder, means for mounting said grippers on. said cylinder for radial movement thereon said grippers adapted to engage said sheets successively to move said sheets with said cylinder to a point of'disposal, 'a circular stationary cam member associated with said cylinder, a cam follower on each gripper assembly, spring means associated with each gripper assembly and tending to move the assembly inwardly radially of said cylinder to maintain the cam follower in positive contact with said cam, the rotation of said cylinder causing each follower to ride on said cam to move the grippers separately and progressively outwardly radially of said cylinder to increase the spacing between sheets carried by adjacent grippers, and separate means at said point of disposal for impartingan additional outward radial movement to each gripper and to actuate each gripper to release the sheet carried thereby.

3. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means to. supply sheets successively to said cylinder, sheet grippers carried by said cylinder for gripping said sheets to-connect the latter to said cylinder for movement therewith to a point of disposal, means for movably mounting said grippers on said cylinder, means associated with said cylinder for imparting progressively outwardly radial movement to" each of said grippers to increase the "spacing between adjacent sheets carried by adjacent grippers, a stationary sheetstripper at said point of disposal, means to outward radial movement to each gripper at. said point of disposal to bring the sheet carried by each gripper into cooperating relation with said stripper, andmeans to open each gripper as it reaches said point of disposal to release the sheet to permit the stripping thereof.

4. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means for supplying sheets successively and insubstantial abutting relation to said cylinder, a plurality of gripper assemblies spaced circumferentially around said cylinder, means for mounting said grippers on said cylinder for radial movement thereon, said grippers adapted to engage said sheets successively to move said sheets with said cylinder to a point of disposal, a circular stationary cam member associated with said cylinder, a cam follower on each gripper assem 'bly, spring means associated with each gripper assembly and tending to move the assembly inwardly radially of said cylinder to maintain the cam follower in positive contact with said cam, the rotation of said cylinder causing each follower to ride on said cam to move the grippers separately and progressively outwardly radially of said cylinder to increase the spacing between sheets carried by adjacent grippers, a stationary sheet stripper at said point of disposal, a spring actuated cam at said point of disposal movable outwardly radially of said cylinder and positionable in the path of the cam followers to impart an additional outward movement to each gripper at said point of disposal. to bring each sheet into cooperating relation with said stripper, and means cooperating with each gripper to release each sheet to permit the stripping thereof.

5. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a single rotating cylinder, means to supply sheets successively to a receiving point on said cylinder, a plurality of sheet grippers spaced circumferentially around said cylinder to connect said sheets individually to said cylinder for movement therewith from said receiving point to a disposal point spaced from said receiving point, a sheet receiving receptacle at said disposal point, means to strip said sheets from said grippers at said disposal point, means positioned between said cylinder and said receptacle to receive and support said sheets in one position above said receptacle until a group of a predetermined number of sheets has accumulated at said one position, means to actuate said receiving and supporting means upon accumulating said number to shift said group from said one position to an intermediate position, means to support said group in said intermediate position, and means to actuate said supporting means to shift a group from said one position tosaid intermediate position and simultaneously to shift the group at said intermediate position to said receptacle.

6. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in' combination, a single rotating cylinder, means to supply sheets successively to a receiving point on said cylinder, a plurality of sheet grippers spaced circumferentially around said cylinder to connect said sheets individually to said cylinder for movement therewith from said receiving point to a disposal point spaced from said receiving point, a stationary sheet receiving receptacle at said disposal point and below said cylinder, means to strip said sheets from said grippers at said disposal point, means positioned between said cylinder and said receptacle to receive and support said sheets in one position above and in alignment with said receptacle until a group of a predetermined number of sheets has accumulated at said one position, means to actuate said receiving and supporting means upon accumulating said number to shift said group from said one position to an intermediate position between said one position and said receptacle and in alignment 9 with the latter, means to support said group in said intermediate position, means -for positioning a pair of separator members on the group at said intermediate positions, and means to actuate said supporting means to shift a group from said one position to said intermediate position and simultaneously to shift the group at said intermediate position to said receptacle.

7. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means to supply sheets successively toa receiving point on said cylinder, a plurality of sheet grippers spaced circumferentially around said cylinder to connect said sheets individually to said cylinder for movement therewith from said receiving point to a disposal point spaced from said'receiving point, a stationary sheet receiving receptacle at said disposal point below said cylinder, means to strip said sheets from said grippers at said disposal point, a pair of rotatable wheels positioned below said stripping means, supporting members formed on said wheels and positioned between said cylinder and said receptacle to receive and support the stripped sheets in one position above and in alignment with said receptacle until a group of predetermined number of sheets has accumulated, means operative upon the accumulation of said predetermined number to move said wheels to shift said group from said one position to an intermediate position between said first position and said receptacle and in alignment with the latter, means on said \VllfiBlSiO support said group at said intermediate position and above said receptacle, means to position separating members on the top of said group while at said intermediate position, and means to actuate said wheels to shift a group from said first position to said intermediate position and simultaneously to shift a group from said intermediate position to said receptacle.

8. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means to supply sheets successively to a receiving oint on said cylinder, a plurality of sheet grippers spaced circumferentially around said cylinder to connect said sheets individually to said cylinder for movement therewith from said receiving point to a disposal point spaced from said receiving point, a stationary sheet receiving receptacle at said disposal point below said cylinder, means to strip said sheets from said grippers at said disposal point, a pair of laterally spaced rotatable wheels positioned between said receptacle and said stripping means, radially extending arms on said Wheels positionable in the path of the stripped sheets to support the latter adjacent the opposite edges thereof, certain of said arms being positioned to support said sheets in one position between said cylinder and said receptacle until a group of a predetermined number of sheets has accumulated, said wheels then being rotated to move said sheet supporting arms downwardly to shit said groups to an intermediate position between said one position and said receptacle and in alignment with the latter and simultaneously to bring other arms of said wheels into place to support sheets at said one position, means to position spacer members on the group at said intermediate position, and means intermittently actuated to rotate both wheels to move said first arms out of holding relation with the group at said intermediate position to permit said group with its spacers to be received in said receptacle and simultaneously to move the other arms from said one position to said intermediate position with its group of sheets.

9. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means to supply sheets successively to a receiving point on said cylinder, at plurality of sheet grippers spaced circumferentially around said cylinder to connect said sheets individually to said cylinder for movement therewith from said receiving point to a disposal point spaced from said receiving point, a sheet receiving receptacle at said disposal point and below said receptacle, means to strip said sheets from said grippers at said disposal point, a pair of laterally spaced arcane? rotatable wheels positioned between said receptacle and said stripping means,'radia.lly extending arms on said Wheels positioned in the path of the stripped sheets to support the latter adjacent the opposite edges thereof, certain of said arms being positioned to support said sheets in one position between said cylinder and said receptacle until a group of a predetermined number of sheets has accumulated, said wheels then being rotated to move said sheet supporting arms downwardly to shift said groups from said one position to an intermediate position between said one position and said receptacle and in alignment with the latter and simultaneously to bring other arms of said wheels into place to support sheets at said One position, means to position spacer members on the group at said intermediate position, drive means including a star wheel operatively connected to said first wheels to move the latter, and trigger means for actuating said star wheel intermittently to rotate said first Wheels to shift said group from said one position to said intermediate position and simultaneously to shift said group from said intermediate position to said receptacle.

10. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means to supply sheets successively to a receiving point on said cylinder, a plu rality of sheet grippers spaced circumferentially around said cylinder to connect said sheets individually to said cylinder for movement therewith from said receiving point to a disposal point spaced from said receiving point, a sheet receiving receptacle at said disposal point in alignment with said cylinder, means to strip said sheets from said grippers at said disposal point, a pair of laterally spaced rotatable wheels positioned between said receptacle and said stripping means, radially extending arms on said wheels positionable in the path of the stripped sheets to support the latter adjacent the opposite edges thereof, certain of said arms being positioned to support said sheets in one position between said cylinder and said receptacle until a group of a predetermined number of sheets has accumulated, said wheels then being rotated to move said sheet supporting arms downwardly to shift said groups from said one position to an intermediate position between said one position and said receptacle and in alignmenttwith the latter and simultaneously to bring other arms of said wheels into place to support sheets at said one position, means to position spacer members on the group at said intermediate position, a Geneva star wheel operatively connected to said first wheel to rotate the latter, a support on which said star wheel is slidably mounted, a constantly rotating member, and trigger means forsliding said star wheel on said support to connect said star wheel in driven relation with said rotating member .to rotate said sheet supporting wheels to shift agroup from said one position to said intermediate position and simultaneously to shift a group from said intermediate positionto said receptacle.

11. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means to supply sheets successively to a receiving point on said cylinder, a plurality of sheet grippers spaced circumferentially around said cylinder to connect said sheets individually to said cylinder, for movement therewith from said receiving point to a disposal point'spaced from said receiving point and below said cylinder, a sheet receiving receptacle at said disposal point, means to strip said sheets from said grippers at said disposal point, a pair of laterally spaced rotatable wheels positioned between said receptacle and said stripping means, radially extending arms on said wheels positionable in the path of the stripped sheets to support the latter adjacent the opposite edges thereof, certain of said arms being positioned to support said sheets in one position between said cylinderand said receptacle until a group of a predetermined number of sheets" has accumulated, said wheels then being rotated tomove said sheet supporting arms downwardly to shift other arms of said wheels intovplace to support sheets at said one position, 'means to position spacer members on the group at said intermediate position, a' Geneva star wheel operatively connected to said first wheels to rotate the latter, a support on which said star wheel isslidably mounted, a constantly rotating drive roller, 'means'normally holding said star wheel in an inoperative position and out of engagement with said drive roller, and'trigger means for moving said star wheel into engagement with said drive roller to connect the latter to said sheet support wheels to rotate the latter to shift the group of sheets at said first position to said intermediate position and simultaneously shift the group of sheets at said intermediate position to said receptacle.

12. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means to supply sheets successively to said cylinder, gripping means carried by said cylinder for gripping said sheets to connect the latter to said cylinder for movement therewith to a point of disposal, means for movably mounting said grippers on said cylinder, means engaging said grippers to move the latter radially relative to said cylinder to increase the spacing'between adjacent sheets, a sheet receiving receptacle at said point of disposal, sheet receiving and supporting means positioned between said cylinder and said receptacle, said last-mentioned means having a portion positioned in one position to receive sheets from said cylinder between said cylinder and said receptacle until a group of a predetermined number of sheets has been received, a second portion on said sheet receiving and supporting means positioned in an intermediate position between said one position and said receptacle to support another group of sheets of said predetermined number, drive means, and means for connecting both of said sheet receiving and supporting means periodically to said drive means to actuate said sheet receiving and supporting means to shift one group of sheets from said one position to said intermediate position and simultaneously shift a group of sheets from said intermediate position to said receptacle.

13. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means to supply sheets successively to said cylinder, gripping means carried by said cylinder for gripping said sheets to connect the latter to said cylinder for movement therewith to a point of disposal, means for movably mounting said grippers on said cylinder, means engaging said grippers to move the latter-relative to said cylinder to increase the spacing between adjacent sheets, a sheet receivingrecepta-cle at said point of disposal below said cylinder, sheet receiving and supporting means positioned between said cylinder and said receptacle, said last-mentioned means having a portion positioned in one position to receive sheets from,

said cylinder until a group of a predetermined number of sheets has been received, atsecond portion on said sheet, receiving and supporting means positioned in anintermediate position between said one position and said receptacle to support another group of sheets of said predetermined number, means to position spacing members on the group of sheets at said intermediate position, drive means, and means for connecting both of said sheet receiving and supporting means periodically to said drive means to actuate said sheet receiving and supporting means to shift one group of sheets from said one position to said intermediate position and simultaneously. shift a group of sheets from said intermediate position to .said receptacle. a t

14. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means forsupplying sheets successively and in substantial abutting relation to said cylinder, a plurality of gripper assemblies spaced ciroumferentially around said cylinders, said grippers adapted to engage said sheets successively'to-move said sheets withsaidcylinder to a point of disposal, a circular cam member associated with said cylinder, a cam fol-' lower on each gripper assembly, spring means to hold each follower in positive contacts with said cam, the rotation of said cylinder causing said followers to ride on said cam to move each gripper progressively radially of said cylinder to increase .the spacing between the sheets carried by adjacent grippers, separate means to impart an additional radial movement to each gripper at said point of disposal to actuate each gripper to release the sheet carried thereby, means for stripping the released sheets suc-' cessively from the grippers, a sheet receptacle positioned below said cylinder at said point of disposal to receive 7 the sheets stripped from said grippers, a pair of sheet receiving and supporting wheels positioned between said stripping means and said receptacle, drive means for said wheels, a sheet supporting portion on said wheels arranged in one position to receive the sheets stripped from said grippers until a group of a predetermined number of sheets has been received, second sheet supporting portions on said wheels arranged in intermediate position to sup-,

port a previously formed group of sheets, and means to connect said sheet receiving and supporting wheels periodically to said drive means to move the first portion to shift the group thereon from said one. position to said intermediate position and simultaneously to shift the group from said intermediate position to said receptacle.

15. A sheet sorter stacker mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotating cylinder, means for supplying sheets successively and in substantial abutting relation to said cylinder, a plurality of gripper assemblies spaced circumferentially around said cylinder, said grippers adapted to engage said sheets successively to move said sheets with said cylinder to a point of disposal, a circular cam member associated with said cylinder, a cam follower on each gripper assembly, spring means to hold each follower in positive contact with said cam, the rotation of said cylinder causing said followers to ride on said cam to move each gripper progressively radially of said cylinder to increase the spacing between the sheetstcarried by adjacent grippers, separate means to impart an additional .radial movement to each gripper at said point of disposal to actuate each gripper to release the sheet carried thereby, means for stripping the released sheets successively from the grippers, a sheet receptacle positioned below said cylinder at said point of disposal to receive the sheets stripped from said grippers, a pair of sheet receiving and supporting wheels positioned between said stripping means and said receptacle, drive means for said wheels, a sheet supporting portion on said wheels arranged in one position to receive and support the sheets stripped from said grippers until a group of a predetermined number of sheets has been received, second sheet supporting portions on said wheels arranged in an intermediate position to support a previously formed group of sheets, means to insert a pairof'spacer members on the group at said intermediate position, and means including a Geneva movement for connecting said wheels periodically to said drive means to rotate said wheels to move said first portion from said one position to said-intermediate position and simultaneously to shift said portion from said intermediate position to release the group of 'sheets'and the spaces for deposition in said receptacle.

rReferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

